Facility Safety Management

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Varied, Effective Hand Protection
BY THOMAS C. DOLAN

At first thought, it might appear that all a worker has to do to protect his hands is put on a pair of gloves. And there are, in fact, different variations of all-purpose gloves that can offer protection
in a number of different environments. But there are also specific gloves for specific hazards.

It’s not surprising, therefore, that manufacturers tend to approach this category of hand protection in a variety of different ways. Here is a brief overview of offerings from five manufacturers. One focuses on a particular aspect of protection, a second offers a variety of basic all-purpose gloves, a third offers gloves to match the type of hazard, and two offer innovative gloves.

At Safetec of America, Inc., Buffalo, NY, aloe vera is added to all of their gloves, says Kelly Ticco, marketing manager. This adds a healing, moisturizing element which can protect hands from the irritations of the gloves themselves, as well as protect from outside contaminants.

“We also offer waterless canisters for infection control, plus anti-microbial wipes, which are also waterless products which don’t need water. We also have an anti-microbial soap which does use water.”

Ticco explains there are specific rules and regulations set forth in the health care and dental industries that have guidelines for hand washing. The waterless dispensers and wipes are also often
used in schools.

“In industrial situations these products are used for general hand hygiene to prevent sickness. There are all kinds of situations in which if you don’t wash your hands frequently you can be contaminated,”
Ticco continues. “Waterless sanitizers are recommended for use in absence of the easy availability of soap and water.”

Whereas OSHA offers some guidelines in terms of washing hands; that agency doesn’t specify particular gloves for particular tasks, says Michael Lopez, marketing manager, Protective Industrial
Products, Inc., Guilderland Center, NY.

“The most OSHA will says is that you need to provide hand protection.” Protective Industrial Products offers genera1 purpose gloves in a wide range of hazard protections, Lopez says.

Within this broad range, there are variations to meet different sorts of usage, such as parts handling or fabrication; or they have specific properties, such as cut resistance. One new area, Lopez is seeing,
he says, “is in food processing where people are looking for gloves with anti-bacterial and anti-microbial properties to reduce the possibility of cross contamination.”

Lopez sees a general trend away from materials such as brown jersey, canvas especially leather, because of the unstableness of pricing. “Instead we’re seeing a trend toward more string knit,
coated, and seamless gloves, such as polyurethane, latex, and others,” Lopez says. “These are less expensive, wear just as long, and are more comfortable.”

When asked about the allergy problems sometimes associated with latex, Lopez concedes, “There does seem to be a little more potential for problems there.

But, as of now, people are not running to the hills to get away from latex.” On the other hand, Fred Buchanan, sales director, QRP, Inc., Tucson, AZ. says, “Generally there has been a trend
away from latex because of allergic sensitivity to the proteins in latex, which many people have. There is also a trend toward powder-free gloves because of both allergic reactions and contamination
potential from powdered gloves.

Buchanan explains that the wide variety of gloves offered by his company are separated by categories of usage. These include general dirt and grime protection as in repairing, chemical resistant, and protection from electrostatic discharge. There are also categories for heat and cold as well as dry and wet applications.

In addition to generally chemical resistant gloves, there are also specific gloves made to protect against specific chemicals. All the gloves are made out of a dipped polymer or nylon.

A highly specialized glove is one for a dry box, Buchanan says. These are gloves typically with a heavier thickness.

Whereas a typical glove might be from five to eight mils thick, the dry box one would range from 15 to 30 mils. The glove covers the hand and goes up to the shoulder. The dry box or isolation chamber is
attached to an eight inch port into which the worker reaches to deal with materials usually sitting on a desk top or work table.

“There has been some increase in the trend toward micro-electric and biotech clean room drugs, away from general purpose gloves,” Buchanan says. “But this is not a big trend. Part of it is being
accomplished through automation which keeps hands out of the process.

“Where there is definitely a trend is the effort to reduce contamination in a wide variety of processing environments. A new innovation, in terms of both manufacturing and gloves has to do with reducing vibration,” says Lynn Ashton, president, Viscolas, Inc., Chattanooga, TN.

The cumulative deleterious effects of being exposed to vibrating tools over periods of time have been recognized relatively recently.

“The good news is that manufacturers have recognized vibration damage over the long haul, so most of them are trying to get the vibration out of their products.”

However, in the long-term, workers will be exposed to less and less vibration in the work place, though that is still a while off. Also, Ashton says, insofar as these less vibrating tools do reach the
market place, many companies won’t be able to purchase all new tools. “In the interim,” Ashton says, “the products we offer will definitely help.”

One is a tool wrap which can cover the handle of the tool. This helps reduce the vibration coming from the handle.

This saves workers from the necessity of putting on gloves. Also, if the tools are used by several different people on differing shifts, then the same wrap works for everyone.

The drawback to this solution, Ashton says, “is that all the good wraps used to lesson vibration tend to be soft. And soft material will not hold up under harsh conditions. In these situations, gloves, with the soft vibration dampening material inside, are a much better bet.”

An example of a brand new technology made to protect against a hazard from which previously there was not good protection has been offered by HexArmor, Inc., Grand Rapids, MI.

“We’re just two-and-a-half-years old and are founded on a new technology,” says Steve VanErmen, president. “There have been high levels of protection against cuts, but not punctures. Our products address punctures.”

Typically, VanErmen explains, products using tough materials such as KEVLAR or SPECTRA, do a good job preventing cuts and lacerations, but are vulnerable to punctures. These can come
from flying bits of metal or glass shards or hypodermic needles. In fact, the original technology came from surgical clinics in which healthcare workers trying to insert a needle into a patient, especially one struggling, would often inadvertently puncture themselves.

Although HexArmor doesn’t sell its products to the healthcare market at this time, it is still focused on these needs.

A lot of people cleaning out garbage or taking trash bags out of restaurants are at risk.

“It’s a serious problem,” VanErmen says. “Even wood splinters can puncture.”

HexArmor uses a basic fabric to which are attached small guard plates, roughly analogous to the steel pieces on the uniforms of medieval knights. These, however, are made not of metal, but a
polymer composite, which gives hardness, and these pieces are interlocking in repeated geometric patterns. They are spaced in such a way that, though there are small holes, they are so small nothing
can get through. This material is fashioned into gloves but can also cover different parts of the body.
“The gloves are very soft and flexible and allow you to bend and flex,” Van Ermen says. “They protect against cuts, and punctures too.” FSM